Bill & Ted Face the Music Review: A Totally Excellent Encore Performance

Release date: August 28, 2020
Running time: 91 minutes
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Kristen Schaal 

After almost 3 decades the adventure continues as Bill (Winter) and Ted (Reeves) return. Having previously been told that they would save the universe during their earlier time-traveling adventure, the two would-be rockers from San Dimas, California find themselves as middle-aged dads still trying to crank out a hit song and fulfill their destiny.  However, now they are told that they have 77 minutes to create the perfect song that will unite the world, time, space, and reality before the consequences of their past actions turn into a totally bogus outcome. 

 

Without a doubt, if you have been following this franchise you have been overly excited for the return after a long 29 years. Seeing both Winter and Reeves get back into character alone is worth the wait. But on top of that, you also have many more cast members reprising their roles, which is icing on this totally excellent cake for any fan. With the addition of their now twenty four year old kids, it just adds another layer of fun to Bill & Ted's latest adventure.

What is truly special about this film is not only how this two major stars easily get back into their roles after all these years but the film was instantly able the capture the same magic as the previous ones. And if you are not familiar with the previous films consider this similar to other current science fiction comedy-dramas like The Orville.  You have to consider the first film was made in 1989, with its sequel following two year later.  The fact that this film captures that same feel--almost like it could have been made in the 90s except with current special effects--is a testament to this movie.  Also keep in mind that, like the previous films in this franchise, this is a totally fun and ridiculous movie; no need for logic in this excellent adventure. I mean we are talking about time travel here.

There are tons of memorable and funny scenes throughout this film with call backs to the original films as well as parallels between the younger Bill and Ted and their kids Billie and Thea.  So its totally not a bad idea to start your journey with the first two films in the franchise, to help with your appreciation of the latest one.  With the addition of new characters and even some very cool cameos, any and everyone who appears does a fantastic job utilizing their screen time.  The costumes and makeup design team did an amazing job in transforming the sub characters and Bill and Ted time and again. But with so many good points and moments of this film the dialogue completely carries this film because you never know what they may say next. This keeps you completely invested and entertained the entire time.

Bill & Ted Face the Music is without a doubt the best of the franchise.  This adventure though time is one you do not want to miss: it it has tons of call back from the previous films, memorable moments, and characters.  Not to mention mid-credits and a stinger you have to stay put for!

Watch it.

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The Owners Review: A Brutal and Tense Break In Thriller

Release date: September 4, 2020
Running time: 92 minutes
Starring: Maisie Williams, Sylvester McCoy, Rita Tushingham, Jake Curran, Andrew Ellis, Ian Kenny

A group of friends think they found the perfect easy score: an empty house with a safe full of

cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early the tables are suddenly

turned. As a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues the would be thieves are left to fight to

save themselves from a nightmare they could never have imagined.

The owners is a movie that turns everything on its head.  The film starts off as a simple, but destructive break in as the friends try to find a safe full of cash.  However, when the unsuspecting owners get home, things take a turn.  The cast of the owners do an admirable job, but the stars of the film are Maisie Williams and Sylvester McCoy.  Williams is forced to carry a lot of the emotional burden in this film, and as the protagonist she is constantly on screen.  Her ordeal is harrowing at times and she displays a lot of mixed emotions throughout the film.  However, she is outshone by Sylvester McCoy as Dr. Huggins, who has such an amazing delivery.  He is both sinister and helpful at the same time, and does so much to put everyone at ease, while still evoking a sense of dread.  The rest of the relatively small cast are all well cast and acted, with each character playing an important, exaggerated role int his break in thriller.  

The Owners is billed as a thriller and it definitely fits that criteria.  The movie has tension in spades, and part of that is just that you don't know what will happen next.  The film does a good job of hiding the motivations of many characters, so you are not sure exactly what will happen next.  And even when an action is hinted at or about to occur, the viewer is really left in the dark over whether the person will go through with it.  And some of these tense scenes result in surprisingly brutal encounters that the film does not shy away from.  In fact, The Owners should be commended on these scenes for the good effects and lack of CG.  These scenes are brutal and without any distracting CG, you get realistic looking violence without anything distracting to take you out of the moment.  The story has plenty of twists and turns, but sort of devolves at the end.  And although the ending is a surprising revelation, some aspects of it seem to come out of nowhere.  One a second viewing there were some hints dropped, but on your first viewing it might come as a random surprise.  However, in the end the Owners is a brutal thriller that shows that there is no easy score.

The Owners turns the traditional break in thriller on its head with some brutal scenes, a ton of tension, and a good cast of characters.

Rent it.

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What to Watch This Weekend: August 28, 2020 - Bill & Ted, Get Duked!, The Binge, The 24th, Some Great Black Films, and Documentaries

For The Dark Comedy Fan - Get Duked! (Amazon)

Get Duked! has a dark comedic style, quirky characters, and story that puts them all to great use with plenty of ridiculousness and laugh out loud moments!  For more information, check out our review!

A Historical Story About Racial Injustice That Feels All Too Familiar - The 24th (Digital)

The 24th tells an incredibly powerful and timely true story that will spark emotions with its fantastic performances and focus on issues that we as a nation are still confronting.  For more information, check out our review!

For The Thrillseeker - Class Action Park (HBO Max)

Class Action Park tells an unbelievable story with fantastic archival footage and first-hand accounts by those most affected by this fun and dangerous abusement park.  For more information, check out our review!

For the World Traveler - Through Greenland (Topic)

Through Greenland lets you follow along Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's journey of self discovery, giving an intimate look at the people and places that make this such a special land.  For more information, check out our review!

For Those Wanting A Night Out - The Binge (Hulu)

The Binge is a fun, ridiculous Purge-like movie with good camaraderie, ridiculous situations, a good group of friends and Vince Vaughn being his Vince Vaughniest.   For more information, check out our review!

For The Fan of Most Excellent Adventures - Bill & Ted Face The Music (Digital)

It's been a long time, but Bill and Ted are back and this sequel / reboot is better than ever.  It has the characters and humor that made the original films so great, but has been updated for our modern times.  

For the Spike Lee Fan - BlackKKlansman (Free to rent on streaming platforms)

Spike Lee has been one of the most outspoken and influential black movie voices of our time.  BlackkKlansman tells a compelling historical story with an amazing cast, biting commentary, and a lot of humor.  And it is free to rent on various streaming platforms so now is a great time to experience it.

For the Action or Keannu Fan - John Wick 3: Parabellum (HBO)

Tick tock Mr. Wick.  The latest John Wick film leaves HBO this month, so make sure to check it out.  It has John Wick's trademark flair, brutal and imaginative action, and continues the assassin's story against ever increasing odds.  For more information, check out our review!

For Those Living Their Best Life - The King of Staten Island (Redbox)

The King of Staten Island was one of the first films to go direct to on demand, and Pete Davidson's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama received rave reviews for Davidson's fantastic performance.  

Robin's Wish Review: A Look Into A Beautiful And Brilliant Mind

 

Release date: September 1, 2020
Running time: 79 minutes

Robin’s Wish tells the powerful true story of actor/comedian Robin Williams’ final days. For the first time, Robin’s fight against a deadly neurodegenerative disorder, known as Lewy Body Dementia, is shown in stunning detail.  Through accounts of family, friends, doctors, and archival footage, his incredible story sheds an entirely new light on the tragedy, beauty and power behind the mind of one of the greatest entertainers of all time.

This film focuses on Robin Williams's unexpected death and the impact that it had on both the world and those closest to him.  Robin Williams was a special individual, both on and off the screen, who had overcome a lot of inner demons and brought happiness to millions of people.  The film is a great reminder of that legacy, and of a lot of the things that Williams did outside of the spotlight.  It highlights his struggles, his charity work, his love of people and desire to make everyone happy.  But the film also gives some very important background on Williams's death and the disease that killed him.  Williams had a rare disease that could be easily misdiagnosed at the time that he was seeking treatment, but was very much fatal.  And to combat this, a lot of this film deals with that disease, the effect it had on Williams, and the amazing amount of effort it must have taken him to not let on how sick he was.  The disease had a cognitive aspect to it, but Williams was so fast and his mind was so special that it didn't affect him noticeably until very late in his life. 

And the documentary also highlights the media storm that occurred when Williams died; the surprise of the world and all the misinformation that occurred.  As you see with a lot of these breaking stories and the 24 hour news cycle, there was speculation running rampant in the wake of his death.  The film shows this but doesn't dwell on it.  It is a good reminder that news often is clouded by what information is known, but Robin's Wish thankfully focuses more on Williams's life and what made him so special.  And through this journey you get a lot of stories about people whose lives he touched, and all the people that he helped both personally and professionally.  If there is a negative, it is that this film is relatively short.  I would have loved more: more stories, more clips, just more about this wonderful individual.  But the film does conclude the moderately short journey with a a satisfying conclusion that ties everything together.  

Robin's Wish is a wonderful reminder of what made Robin Williams so special, and how much his life and work touched his family, friends, fans, and the world.   

Watch it.

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Get Duked! Review: The Hunt With Darker Humor, More Drugs, And More Laughs

Release date: August 28, 2020
Running time: 86 minutes
Starring: Eddie Izzard, Kate Dickie, Georgie Glen, James Cosmo

Dean (Rian Gordon), Duncan (Lewis Gribben), and DJ Beatroot (Viraj Juneja) are teenage pals from Glasgow who are forced to embark on the character-building camping trip—based on a real-life program—known as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, where foraging, teamwork, and orienteering are the order of the day.  Eager to cut loose and smoke weed in the Scottish Highlands, the trio find themselves paired with strait-laced Ian (Samuel Bottomley), a fellow camper determined to play by the rules. After veering off-path into remote farmland that’s worlds away from their urban comfort zone, the boys find themselves hunted down by a shadowy force hell-bent on extinguishing their futures.

Although I was initially turned off by the movie stills and poster, don't let those dissuade you from this.  Get Duked! is a fantastic film with a great sense of style and a dry European sense of humor that had me laughing out loud many times.  The group of youths are fun to watch. They each have distinct personalities and motivations, yet meld very well.  The friends are all fun individually and as a group, but DJ Beatroot is definitely the star of this show.  His personality has plenty of quirk and his antics are laugh out loud funny.  I especially liked some of the things he does to avoid messing up his all white outfit, and his rap songs are as catchy as they are silly.  The other standout is Ian, who plays the straight-laced youth in this film.  However, he is forced to bend the rules to survive, and learn to rely on the ridiculous group he is shackled with.  And although the boys don't get top billing, they are the true stars of this film.  It is great to see these young actors real steal the show, and inject heart and energy into this quirky film.

Get Duked! has a funny, dark comedy style to it that is apparent from the moment the film starts.  It definitely grabs you and doesn't let go.  The story is evenly paced, with a good setting that gets you to some action relatively quickly.  It also puts the friends in several moments where their quirks shine through.  Even from the start you get to see some of the ridiculous things that they say and do, and really start to enjoy seeing these characters.  And with a main character who is an aspiring hip hop artist, and a director with a history of directing music videos, you can expect the music to be top notch.  And it definitely is.  DJ Beatroot's songs are fun and catchy; they not only tell a story but keep you entertained.  But it is also the atmospheric music that will draw you in and keep your attention.  When it starts to get a little sinister, instrumental music comes on from Alex Menzies that is reminiscent of Hans Zimmer.  It really sets the stage and helps shift the mood to something more serious (though there is still plenty of ridiculousness going on).

And speaking of the ridiculous nature of this film, the story gives plenty of opportunities to put these kids into dangerous, hilarious, and altogether entertaining situations.  The film keeps introducing more and more, building towards an unexpected and wholly satisfying ending.  Really there is not much wrong with Get Duked!  If there is a complaint, it is that as an American, I found it tough to understand some of the lines due to the thick accents.  But that did nothing to blunt my enjoyment of this film.  Make time this weekend to earn your Duke of Edinburgh Award; you will definitely not regret it.

Get Duked! has a dark comedic style, quirky characters, and story that puts them all to great use with plenty of ridiculousness and laugh out loud moments!

Watch it.

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Centigrade Review: Every Tourist's Chilling Nightmare

Release date: August 28, 2020
Running time: 89 minutes
Starring: Genesis Rodriguez and Vincent Piazza

In 2002, a young American couple, Matthew (Piazza) and Naomi (Rodriguez), travel to the arctic mountains of Norway. After pulling over during a snowstorm, they wake up trapped in their SUV, buried underneath layers of snow and Ice. As if the stakes aren’t high enough, Naomi is eight months pregnant in their frozen prison. With few resources, a dwindling food supply, and nothing but time, tension, blame, and personal secrets bubble to the surface. Matthew and Naomi realize they must work together to survive in a crippling battle against the elements, hypothermia, disturbing hallucinations, and plunging temperatures reaching as low as -30C.

This movie requires a lot from Rodriguez and Piazza, basically asking them to carry the film on their talents alone.  And thankfully they are up for the challenge.  The two display realistic acting, emotions, and as the situation slowly deteriorates, they show what could happen when things go south.  There are several layers to what happens in this film, from blame, to doubt, to digging up other dark secrets, and then simply to madness.  Each of these levels is convincingly portrayed by the pair and hats off to them for that.  A movie like this could have been far less compelling with a less convincing couple, but thankfully these two nailed it.  The nature of this film makes everything feel cramped and claustrophobic, which is what the filmmaker was going for.  It succeeds in making you feel confined, with the majority of the shots taking place inside the car.  Very occasionally the camera will pan up to what is happening outside, but thankfully this does not occur often.  The real meat of this film is in the car and that is where the camera spends the most time.

And the camera work is really fantastic.  For a film that spends the majority of the time in a cramped car, the camera makes the most of this space.  Although the area is relatively small, you still see the couple move to various sections of the car so they are not simply on top of each other the entire time.  It also does a really good job communicating what is going on.  When the couple is arguing, the camera will take shots of each face separately while they are talking.  However, when they make up or come to an agreement, it will show them next to each other.  It is subtle but really does help to enhance the mood.  And the story does have some progression, although it does move very slowly.  That is just the nature of this film, there is only so much that can happen when everyone is confined to a car.  There is definitely a lot that does happen, but all of this occurs at a relatively measured pace.  And on top of all this, the film has a nice understated soundtrack that doesn't kick on a lot, but really sets the mood when it does.  If there is a negative, it is that there is only so much you can do in a film that is confined like this.  I don't think this is the fault of the filmmaker or the actors, but there is only so much that can happen with something based on a true story and in these conditions.  It is a testament to how to make an understated film with a few actors, but it also limits what can occur.

Centigrade is a claustrophobic survival thriller with a palatable sense of tension and a story that will chill you to the bone.  

Rent it.

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Interview: Niamh Wilson from All About Who You Know, Indie RomCom with Dylan Everett, David Hewlett, Stephen Joffe

 

Interview with Niamh Wilson who plays Haley in the Indie Rom Com, All About Who You Know. We discuss her role, what drew her to this film, and get into some spoiler talk at the very end. So give it a watch and if you haven't already seen the film (review here), it is streaming in Canada on Crave and in America on Amazon Prime. All About Who You Know follows contrarian, aspiring screenwriter Cole (Everett) who has a chance meeting with Haley (Wilson), the daughter of Cole's screenwriting idol. After he realizes who she is, he writes his most ambitious script to date by plotting out a rom-com relationship with Haley, all in the hopes of meeting her legendary father and getting a leg up in showbiz. However, Cole's need to always buck trends and not be derivative, while also trying to capture all the perfect scenes, leads to issues for this young couple and his master plan. Written and directed by Jake Horowitz Starring: Dylan Everett, Niamh Wilson, Stephen Joffe, David Hewlett Please subscribe to be updated on the latest videos: https://bit.ly/3ajxSle

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The 24th Review: A Powerful Film About The 1917 Houston Riots and Police Brutality on African American Soldiers

 

Release date: August 21, 2020
Running time: 101 minutes 

Starring: Trai Byers, Thomas Haden Church, Aja Naomi King

The 24th in an incredibly powerful and timely story based on the true story of the all black 24th Infantry of the United States and the events of the 1917 Houston Riots. The Houston Riot was a mutiny by 156 African American soldiers in response to the brutal violence and abuse at the hands of Houston police officers. The riot, which lasted two hours, led to the death of nine civilians, four policemen, two soldiers, and resulted in the largest murder trial in history, which sentenced a total of nineteen men to execution, and forty-one men to life sentences. 

This story follows William Boston (Byers) who has enlisted in the Twenty-Fourth United States Infantry Regiment to serve his country and eventually be deployed to the front lines of the Great War. Instead the 24th has been assigned to Texas in which they are tasked to guard the construction of Camp Logan, located about  four miles outside of Jim Crow Law Land Houston. Even under the command of Col. Norton (Church) who does his best to shield his troops from the racial animosity in the town, the troops are still harassed by its civilians and even attacked by their local law enforcement. When things get tough, Boston is forced to decide between standing with his brothers on an ill-fated battle against the police or seeking another opportunity elsewhere along side his love interest Marie (King).

Star of this film, Trai Byers makes his screenwriting debut alongside Oscar winner Kevin Willmott. Trai not only adds to his resume with this film but absolutely makes his big career break in his performance. Channeling raw and authentic emotions for the role makes this character feel perfectly authentic but also relatable.  Although the events of the film are fairly accurate and very little is changed for dramatic purposes, this film does have a little embellishment.  William Boston is a character based on a real historical figure, Corporal Charles William Baltimore, which does give the film an air of historical accuracy.  But the embellishments also allow his character to have more relatable aspects such as the included love interest angle.  This gave Trai the opportunity to further make this character his, which he does in amazing fashion!

With everything happening in the world today including protests on racial injustice and police brutality, this timely film highlights many of the same societal issues that African Americans have been dealing with for years.  This film further highlights this by showing that even US Military soldiers were not given equal rights simply because of their race.  The 24th has plenty of intense and hard to watch scenes that were emotional yet powerful. And these scenes were acted perfectly with characters that were well developed and relatable to the viewers.  And while the movie is an excellent watch on its own, the social injustices that it highlights make this film even more affecting.  The cinematography in this film captures this time period in is purest way as well as provides an added layer of intensity in scenes.  And this film's focus on this story and the racial injustice that occurred will motivate the viewer to read more about this event and the parallels it has to the events occurring right now.  It is truly powerful and scary to think about!

The 24th tells an incredibly powerful and timely true story that will spark emotions with its fantastic performances and focus on issues that we as a nation are still confronting.

Watch it.

If you liked this review and want to see more from Watch or Pass, please consider following us on our various social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.  Make sure to check out the movie first, then watch the interview with the director, writers, and star of the movie: Kevin Willmott and Trai Byers!

Class Action Park Review: A Dangerously Good Time

Release date: August 27, 2020
Running time: 90 minutes

Class Action Park is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the legend, legacy, and truth behind a place that long ago entered the realm of myth. To some, New Jersey's infamous Action Park was the most spectacularly fun amusement park on Earth: A place where unruly 1980s teenagers were given free rein to go gonzo on strange contraptions that seemed to violate the laws of common sense (and perhaps physics). To others, it was an ill-conceived death trap. One thing is sure: It's the type of place that will never exist again. Class actin park documents the accounts of those that worked there, those that had fun there, and those whose lives were permanently altered by that place to reveal the true story behind this dangerous amusement park.  

Class Action Park tells a pretty insane story, but backs it up with some amazing archival footage and accounts.  The footage shows both the thrilling rides and perils of some of the more questionable decisions that the park made.  And the interviews with the former park employees are enlightening.  They describe some of the terrible events that occurred in such frank detail that it is a little shocking.  There is one scene where people end up getting scratched up in a ride and the description for why was so shocking, you would think it would be the plot of a new horror movie.  And the fact that they lived through some of these accidents and deaths is even more shocking to see.  But it is when the emotional scenes occur that you really get your heartstrings pulled.  Some of the victims of Action Park have some heartbreaking stories to tell, which are laid bare in this documentary.  

The combination of the footage and witness accounts makes for a compelling story, but it is some of the reveals in the film that really make this a special documentary.  The ways that the founder was able to avoid liability and operate for so long are scary to see.  It really does harken back to different time and one that we will likely never see again.  And another thing that was interesting was to hear some of the employees describe the park with a sort of nostalgia, despite knowing that it was a death trap.  Maybe it is the time that has passed or the fondness of youth, but many of the former employees definitely remember their time at Action Park fondly.  And this is a central tension in the film: Action Park was decidedly dangerous and poorly maintained, but it also allowed for youth to be young and have fun.  Now often that fun would result in some sort of injury, but it still was a place with no rules.  It is an interesting dichotomy that this place lives in, a thrilling abusement park but also a place that never should have opened.

Class Action Park tells an unbelievable story with fantastic archival footage and first-hand accounts by those most affected by this fun and dangerous abusement park.

Watch it.

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following us on our various social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.  Class Action Park premieres on HBO Max on August 27.

Through Greenland Review: A Surprisingly Personal Nature Documentary

Release date: August 27, 2020
Running time: 45 minute episodes (5 total)
Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jo Scheuer

Through Greenland is a visually spectacular program series with Danish Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on an adventurous expedition through Greenland.  Coster-Waldau has a childhood history with Greenland and is now married to someone who grew up in the country.  This connection to this land makes him want to fully explore it, which is the basis for this documentary.  Through Greenland is broken into 5 episodes with each episode roughly taking place in a different part of Greenland.  But it also temporally follows his trip through the area.  

Your love of this documentary could very well hinge on how much you like Coster-Waldau, as his journey of discovery is the main focus of this film.  And thankfully, he is very easy to like.  His journey of self discovery has some beautiful scenery and situations, but it is the personal stories that you will really appreciate.  Coster-Waldau has personal connections to Greenland through his partner, and these situations really humanize this documentary.  You see him learning about this land, its history and people, with a curiosity that you rarely see in a documentary.  It is also really wonderful to see someone who is interested in learning but also does not have a lot of background here.  This is not meant as a backhanded complement, it is the perfect way to do this journey.  Many of the questions Coster-Waldau asks are ones that I myself had watching it, so you are able to experience this journey in a realistic way.  And Coster-Waldau's willingness to experience this land and people is another infectious aspect.  He tries all the food, does all the activities (including hunting and preparing meat), camps out on the ice, pretty much anything to get a connection to this land.  And this variety makes for a very interesting series of events.  

And Through Greenland has more than just the natural world.  It explores the cities, the differences between the large cities and small cities, and explores how many people in Greenland make their livings.  It also has an exploration of traditional Greenland food, hunting, art, and tattoos; all of which contribute to your understanding of this unique place.  If there is a negative, it is that the film is focused on days and not subjects.  This is a blessing and a curse as it really lets you experience the journey that Coster-Waldau goes on, but it doesn't let you have a specific episode dedicated to art, or to food.  But that is fine as this entire documentary series lets you get a realistic, personal view of this land that most people have only read about.  

Through Greenland lets you follow along Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's journey of self discovery, giving an intimate look at the people and places that make this such a special land.

Watch it.

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following us on our various social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.  This series is available on the streaming service Topic.   Topic is available to US and Canadian audiences on Topic.com, Apple iOS, and AppleTV, Android, Amazon Fire TV and Roku, in addition to Amazon Prime Video Channels.

A Girl Missing Review: A Complicated Story About Cause and Effect

Release date: August 28, 2020
Running time: 111 minutes
Starring: Mariko Tsutsui, Mikako Ichikawa, Sôsuke Ikematsu

A home-care nurse's relationship with the family she has spent years working for is threatened when her nephew is arrested for kidnapping their daughter.  When Ichicko (Tsutsui)'s nephew is arrested for kidnapping the daughter of the family that she is working for, Ichiko does not say anything.  However, this and a number of small incidents work against Ichiko and slowly affect her life.  

A Girl Missing has a slow start up but that is partly because there is a lot happening and the film takes its time to introduce it all.  The movie spends a lot of time establishing the various relationships between the characters and Ichiko's character overall.  The home-care nurse Ichiko (Tsutsui) has many facets and reacts differently to what is going on.  She is a dedicated worker but is also trying to build a better life for herself, which includes doing a good job for the family she works with and maintaining her relationship with her fiance.  She has lots of quirks and strange interests that come out throughout the film, which keeps the audience guessing as to the true motivation for her actions.  And these quirks shine through in various ways, including in dream sequences, in incidents where she tries to get close to certain people, and in somewhat impulsive decisions she makes.  But what is most abundantly clear in this film is that a lot of what derails Ichiko's life seems to stem from normal incidents that, in and of themselves, would not draw any attention.  The acting in A Girl Missing is quite good, with believable performances from all the actors involved.  Even the children tend to be believable, and the film does a good job of growing each character out.  And the shot choice is simply phenomenal, with some impactful and beautiful angles taken.

However, this film is a relatively complicated film, but that is partly the story and partly what is left unsaid.  There are many implications in the film, and many of those are not explored.  It is a weird juxtaposition in this movie, as it seems that the characters say and act more openly than in much Japanese cinema, but still manage to keep a lot under wraps and unsaid.  There are some sequences where it is tough to determine if the sequence is real life or a dream, which contributes to the confusion.  And additionally, although there are a lot of intertwining plot threads in this movie, they also tend to have a strange lack of urgency in the story.  A lot of the threads don't seem to resolve or are left hanging.  And although there is a certain amount of cascading, snowball effects to Ichiko's derailing life, the plot still seems to go in strange directions towards the end of the film.

A Girl Missing is a complicated story about the effects of seemingly minor and random events, with complex characters, stellar camera work, and strong performances.

Rent it.

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Interview: Natalie Eva Marie (Sasha) from New Bruce Willis Action Movie Hard Kill

Watch or Pass Interview with Natalie Eva Marie, who plays Sasha in the all new action movie Hard Kill, also starring Bruce Willis, Jesse Metcalfe, and Sergio Rizzuto.  We discuss why she chose this role, what she did to prepare for it, and similarities between herself and her character.  We also find out what it was like to work with Bruce Willis!

So give it a watch and if you haven't already seen the film (review here), it is available digitally and on demand. 

HARD KILL stars the ensemble cast of Jesse Metcalfe (“Desperate Housewives”, “Chesapeake Shores"), Bruce Willis (Die Hard, Looper), Natalie Eva Marie (“WWE Smackdown"), Lala Kent (“Vanderpump Rules”, 10 Minutes Gone), Texas Battle (“The Bold and The Beautiful”, 10 Minutes Gone), Swen Timmel (In Time, 10 Minutes Gone), Sergio Rizzuto (Trauma Center, Escape Plan: The Extractors), Tyler Jon Olson (Gotti, Force of Nature), and Jon Galanis. The film is directed by Matt Eskandari (12 Feet Deep, Trauma Center) with a screenplay by Joe Russo (The Au Pair Nightmare) and Chris LaMont (The Au Pair Nightmare).

 

Billionaire tech CEO Donovan Chalmers (Willis) is in hot water as an old rival decides to to rehash a debt. Hard Kill is the story of a team of mercenaries hired by Chalmers and led by Derek Miller (Metcalfe), tasked to protect a lethal piece of technology.  If this technology fell into the wrong hands, it could have catastrophic consequences.  But this mission takes an even more personal turn as Donovan's daughter is kidnapped and held hostage to be used as collateral in the exchange of this technology, Project 275. Miller and his team are put to the test to save her and protect the fate of humanity before it's to late.

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